Brand Names:

Cipro I.V.

About your treatment:

Your doctor has ordered ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic, to help treat your infection. The drug will be added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for 60 or more minutes, one or two times a day.
Ciprofloxacin eliminates bacteria that cause many kinds of infections, including pneumonia, inhalational anthrax (after exposure), and skin, bone, blood, urinary, respiratory, and gastrointestinal tract infections. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. The length of treatment depends on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.

Precautions:

Before administering ciprofloxacin,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to cinoxacin (Cinobac), ciprofloxacin, enoxacin (Penetrex), levofloxacin (Levaquin), lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), nalidixic acid (NegGram), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), or any other drugs.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially other antibiotics, anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin), medications with caffeine (NoDoz, Vivarin), cancer chemotherapy agents, cimetidine (Tagamet), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), medications that can cause seizures, phenytoin (Dilantin), probenecid (Benemid), sucralfate (Carafate), theophylline (Theobid, Theo-Dur, others), and vitamins.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease, epilepsy, colitis, stomach problems, vision problems, heart disease, or history of stroke.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking ciprofloxacin, call your doctor immediately.
you should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Ciprofloxacin may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.
avoid eating or drinking large amounts of caffeine-containing products such as coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate. Ciprofloxacin increases nervousness, sleeplessness, heart pounding, and anxiety caused by caffeine.

Administering your medication:

Before you administer ciprofloxacin, look at the solution closely. It should be clear and free of floating material. Gently squeeze the bag or observe the solution container to make sure there are no leaks. Do not use the solution if it is discolored, if it contains particles, or if the bag or container leaks. Use a new solution, but show the damaged one to your health care provider.
It is important that you use your medication exactly as directed. Do not stop your therapy on your own for any reason because your infection could worsen and result in hospitalization. Do not change your dosing schedule without talking to your health care provider. Your health care provider may tell you to stop your infusion if you have a mechanical problem (such as a blockage in the tubing, needle, or catheter); if you have to stop an infusion, call your health care provider immediately so your therapy can continue.

Side effects:

Although side effects from ciprofloxacin are not common, they can occur. Tell your health care provider if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
upset stomach
diarrhea
vomiting
stomach pain
headache
restlessness
nervousness
difficulty falling or staying asleep
anxiety
nightmares
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your health care provider immediately:
skin rash
itching
hives
difficulty breathing or swallowing
swelling of the face or throat
yellowing of the skin or eyes
dark urine
pale or dark stools
blood in urine
unusual tiredness
sunburn or blistering
seizures or convulsions
vision changes
pain, inflammation, or rupture of a tendon
dizziness
confusion
tremors
delusions
seeing visions or hearing voices that do not exist
depression
thoughts about dying or killing yourself

Storing your medication:

Your health care provider probably will give you a several-day supply of ciprofloxacin at a time. If you are receiving ciprofloxacin intravenously (in your vein), you probably will be told to store it in the refrigerator.
Take your next dose from the refrigerator 1 hour before using it; place it in a clean, dry area to allow it to warm to room temperature.
Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand what you need to store your medication properly.
Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of overdose:

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Signs of infection:

You should be aware of the symptoms of infection in case your infection worsens or a new infection develops. If you notice any of the following symptoms, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:
fever
unusual tiredness or weakness
chills
shaking
nighttime sweating
loss of appetite
If you are receiving ciprofloxacin in your vein or under your skin, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein or skin). If you experience any of these effects near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:
tenderness
warmth
irritation
drainage
redness
swelling
pain